A project manager is assigned to lead a software project for a government agency. The company previously attempted similar projects in other industries but failed. What should the project manager do to improve the chance of success?

Reviewing the lessons learned registers from previous, similar projects is crucial because it provides valuable insights into what went wrong and why. This proactive step allows the project manager to identify potential pitfalls, understand contributing factors to past failures, and implement strategies to avoid repeating those mistakes. This directly improves the current project's chance of success by leveraging historical knowledge. Continuing to execute with only expert judgment ignores critical historical data. Recording information in the risk management plan is a good step, but it's reactive; reviewing lessons learned is proactive and helps inform the risk plan. Developing a contingency plan is also reactive and should be based on identified risks, which are better understood after reviewing lessons learned.